Don Chigazola of Chigazola Merchants and Melissa Hotchkiss, sommelier at Sea Thai Bistro are today’s guests who join Steve Jaxon, co-host Dan Berger and Barry Herbst of Bottle Barn. When commenting on a Riesling, Dan Berger often says that when the flavor and acidity are just right, it would go very well with some spicy Thai food. Today we have Melissa Hotchkiss, sommelier at Sea Thai Bistro in Santa Rosa, who brought some delicious Thai food to taste with […]

Today Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger welcome Najine Shariat of Goguette Bread in Santa Rosa. They are a traditional French country style bakery that specializes in levain (starter)-based, long fermented organic, French style breads. Also in the studio today are Karissa Kruse, President of the Sonoma County Winegrowers and Erik Miller from Kokomo Winery First, they open a Kokomo Winery 2013 Blanc de Blancs, a sparkling wine. Dan explains that this is a good example of […]

Pinot Noir is the subject of the day, as this week we are live at Bottle Barn’s Pinot Noir Tasting at the Hyatt Vineyard Inn. Steve Jaxon, Dan Berger and Barry Herbst are at the California Wine Country table at the Hyatt for the show’s first remote broadcast. The guest list includes Suzanne Hagins of Horse & Plow, Maria Lentini of Brack Mountain Wine Company, Robert Mueller of Mueller Winery and Drive Hall-of-Famer Dr. Dave McCuan. […]

Megan Schofield, winemaker for Robert Mondavi Winery, joins Tom Simoneau, Dan Berger and Steve Jaxon, who are all excited to have a 2014 Robert Mondavi To Kalon I-Block Fumé Blanc to taste, which is a rare treat. Steve asks Tom to tell about Mondavi and how Robert Mondavi had a falling out with a brother about the direction of the family winery. He started it in 1966. He brought Napa Valley into the forefront, was the […]

We have two guests today: Miro Tcholoakov of Miro Cellars http://mirocellars.com/ Jim Morris from Flanagan Wines http://www.flanaganwines.com/ We begin by tasting a German Rosé, from Pffefingin, a Blanc de Noirs, which Dan calls basically a Pinot Noir with virtually no color. It has a copper color, or almost tan. Bone dry, lots of acidity, silky smooth, says Steve. Steve introduces today’s first guest, Miro Tcholakov, owner and winemaker of Miro Cellars who has brought some of […]

Today’s pre-show guest is Rex Pickett, author of Sideways. The main show guest is Trevor Durling, Winemaker from BV, Beaulieu Vineyard. In the live segment before CWC begins at the top of the hour, Steve and Dan visit with Rex Pickett, author of Sideways, the book, movie and now stage play. Then after the main show, we will hear more of Steve’s interview with Rex Pickett. First, Dan tells that somebody called him on the telephone […]

Bob Lindquist, Qupé Winery’s winemaker, is today’s main guest. First, Steve Jaxon welcomes Tim McDonald to the studio with Barry Herbst and co-host Dan Berger. At the start of the hour they are waiting for the arrival of Bob Lindquist of Qupé Winery, who is, “…one of the great winemakers in America,” says Dan Berger, right off the bat. (Bob is driving up to Santa Rosa from Santa Barbara, and will arrive during the show.) Dan […]

Without their expected guest today, Steve Jaxon, Dan Berger and Barry Herbst taste and discuss Chardonnay and Burgundy, and also discuss the value of acidity in wine and how the wine market changes from year to year especially when a great vintage like 2015 is about to hit the stores. The CEO of Kendall-Jackson, Rick Tigner, was supposed to be coming in to explain the Wine Country Tour de Fox Ride, on Saturday, August 26, a […]

William Knuttel, winemaker of William Knuttle Winery and partner in Ottimino Wines, Square Peg and other labels as well. (We thought we were featuring Ron Rubin Vineyards but Ron was a late scratch.) Bill has also just launched Knuttle Family with his son and daughter. He also recently started Square Peg Winery, with his partner, who needed his own brand and had Pinot Noir growing by his house near Occidental. Ottimino is a Zin from Sonoma […]

Jamie Peters is today’s guest, here to talk about WineSong, which holds its 33rd annual fund raiser next August. We hear all about WineSong from Jamie and Dan, including food, wine, music all at the Mendocino botanical gardens. Then we taste a couple of Chards, a unique Zin and more. Wine Song is an annual event in Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens about 2 miles south of Ft. Bragg. September 8 and 9, Friday and Saturday. The […]

Steve Jaxon welcomes Cathy Vicini from Trecini Winery, Robert Smith, master somellier at Foley Family Wines and Carina Sterzenbach, special events coordinator for Foley Sonoma. Along the way we hear what Steve and Dan thought of the movie Sideways. Steve asks Cathy about the Trecini name. The name comes from The three Vicini, which is their name, and there are three of them, so in Italian the name comes from “i tre Vicini.” Dan explains that […]

Barry Herbst from Bottle Barn joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger this week. (Due to a schedule mixup, Trecini Wines will be on the show next week instead of this week.) First they taste the Yannick Rousseau Colombard, Dan says it is difficult to make it this good, the acid has to be high and has to be well balanced with the sugar. Dan says that in 1965 this was the most planted grape in the United […]

Bob Cabral joins Steve Jaxon and co-host Dan Berger, along with Tom Simoneau and Barry Herbst, for today’s California Wine Country, including a toast to the first day of summer. Bob Cabral is currently winemaker at Three Sticks Winery but is here to taste and talk about the three wines that comprise the launch of his own new winery, Bob Cabral Wines. Tom Simoneau introduces Bob Cabral who is is introducing his first ever line of wines. […]

Michael Beaulac, Pine Ridge Vineyards winemaker, joins Steve Jaxon and Dan Berger on California Wine Country this week. Dan introduces Michael and tells how he has been making wine for a long time and Dan appreciates his style, which favors acidity. Steve asks Dan to explain the value of acidity. Dan says it’s so well integrated that you don’t taste acidity, but balance. It encourages salivation, which lets you taste food taste even more. Michael uses the term […]

Today’s guest is Harry “Hank” Wetzel III, owner and general manager of Alexander Valley Vineyards. The interview contains Hank’s nice summary of malolactic fermentation in winemaking. Dan introduces Alexander Valley Vineyards as one of the iconic Sonoma County wineries. He remembers their first vintage, a 1975 Chardonnay, when Dan started writing about wine. Dan says he tasted the 1975 Chardonnay, loved it, fabulous wine. It was not made with malolactic fermentation so it had good acidity and […]

Kunde Family Winery and Martin Ray Winery have both sent guests to today’s show. Jeff Kunde of Kunde Family Winery and Kate Noble of Martin Ray Winery join Steve Jaxon, Dan Berger and Barry Herbst on California Wine Country today. Dan introduces Jeff Kunde as one of the great Sonoma County growers, with a large property between Santa Rosa and Sonoma. They grow many different grape varieties. Jeff says they have 19 varietals. Dan also notes […]